Nerd Fitness Academy - Preparation for 12/1/14

Weekly weigh-in: 263.8 lb

 I need a few more days below 2,700 calories to finally complete this quest.  Planning tomorrow's food.

FFVI – Part 31: Devil’s Lab

Summary: We move into the heart of the facility: Cid’s laboratory. More magicite that Kefka tries to steal. Possible betrayal by Celes, but probably not since she saves us. We flee the lab and leave Vector.

FFVI – Part 30: Slaughterhouse

Summary: We infiltrate the magitek factory. The dungeon design is as cool as its purpose is horrifying. Kefka dreams big. We see a couple of dying espers, Ifrit and Shiva, and push onto the research facility.

FFVI – Part 29: A Picture of Vector

Summary: We visit occupied Maranda, followed by the Imperial capitol of Vector.

FFVI – Part 28: Albrook and Tzen

Summary: We land on the south continent and begin to explore. Albrook first and then Tzen, with a quick stop in between at an Imperial Observation Post to the east.

Nerd Fitness Academy - 11/26/14 Log

Solid day.  Planning my meals in advance helps so much.  I used to be unable to do a full day without eating out, but I think what makes this so much better is that I'm not skimping on calories.  I can meet my calorie goal, and the food I eat at home tastes pretty good.

Breakfast is my favorite by far!

FFVI – Part 27: A Night at the Opera: Act II

Summary: We make our way to Ultros, and then fall inconspicuously onto the stage. The boss fight against him is on stage, worked into the opera. It’s awesome. We win, but Setzer yanks Celes onto his airship. The rest of the party grabs on and meets Setzer. Celes goes all Anton Chigurh and secures Setzer’s support.

Nerd Fitness Academy - 11/25/14 Log

Went off track last night after getting home (my usual danger zone), and today as well.  Preparation for tomorrow.

FFVI – Part 26: A Night at the Opera: Act I

Summary: Everything is beautiful, and nothing hurts. Except possibly Celes’s head next time, given Ultros’s idea of “tons of fun.”

FFVI – Part 25: Casting Change

Summary: Finished up in Zozo, with a Chainsaw for our troubles. We head back to Jidoor to find a ship to Imperial lands, but no luck. The backup plan, to hijack a gambler named Setzer’s airship, takes us to the opera house.

Nerd Fitness Academy - 11/23/14 Log

Weighed in today: 264.8.  Going to do this weekly. 

Nerd Fitness Academy - 11/22/14 Log

Really happy with how planning out the next day's food has gone these first couple of days.  It helps alleviate a lot of the doubt, internal bargaining, and energy that goes into my day. 

FFVI – Part 24: My Little Esper: Friendship is Magicite

Summary: Lots of exposition this session from Ramuh. We learn the tragic history of espers, and the horrifying truth behind where magitek comes from. A new game mechanic gets introduced: magicite.

FFVI – Part 23: Class Warfare

Summary: We dive into the sharply divided cities of Jidoor and Zozo. Jidoor is beautiful, complete with an unsettling gallery of paintings and an auction house, while Zozo is a hive of scum and villainy. More clock puzzles. We find Terra.

Nerd Fitness Academy - 11/21/14 Log

Nerd Fitness Academy - 11/20/14 Log

Preparation for tomorrow.

Nerd Fitness Academy - Corpse Run

The past few weeks, I've done nothing with regards to fitness.  I went back to binging on whatever, not exercising, eating mindlessly, etc.  Time to try again - with some adjustments.

Temporary Post Frequency Change

Hello, readers!  A quick note on schedule stuff this next month.

Over the next three weeks, I be devoting much of my energy to finishing up grad school.  I won't be taking a hiatus, but my Final Fantasy VI posts here will be far less frequent, most likely 2-3 posts per week instead of 6-7.

FFVI – Part 22: Rachel

Summary: We head to Kohlingen, and get some backstory on Rachel, the woman of whom Celes reminds Locke. Before following Terra’s path further south, we hit up a cabin in the north inhabited by someone who wants to build a coliseum.

FFVI – Part 21: Truly Outrageous Terra

Summary: Terra talks to the esper, and morphs into possibly an esper herself, flying west. The rest of the team members split up. Sabin and Cyan stay behind to guard the esper while Celes, Locke, Gau, and Edgar follow Terra’s trail to the west through the subway system that is Figaro Castle.

FFVI – Part 20: The Battle of Narshe Cliffs

Summary: Our parties reunite, with no small tension. They can’t quite convince the Narshe authorities that the Empire will attack them, but then the Empire attacks them. Problem solved! We head on over to Narshe Cliffs to guard the esper, fight off the Imperial attack, and defeat Kefka again. He still sucks.

---

Narshe

-Ok, so we’re trying to convince the Narshe authorities to fight with us. Gestahl is racing for the esper too, so this is a bit time sensitive.

-Again: really great build-up so far, by not showing Emperor Gestahl beyond one brief megalomaniacal speech. More and more nervous about seeing him up close.

-Cyan and Gau meet the rest, along with Celes when Locke comes in.

-The Empire’s heading to attack Narshe. Like, right now. So that makes Narshe’s choice easier.

-Cyan is enraged seeing Celes. How did I not expect this? Of course he would be. He doesn’t know any backstory on how she met Locke.

-He calls her “the woman single-handedly responsible for the decimation of Maranda.” I actually like that he doesn’t hate her just because he thinks she poisoned Doma. This would make things way too simple, cleared up by Locke saying what he saw.

FFVI is going a much more interesting route. It’s not setting up Celes as some Returner-plant dismantling the Empire from the inside from the beginning. We have no reason to believe Cyan is wrong – she probably did decimate Maranda! She’s probably a highly skilled and efficient Imperial general, which involves beating the Empire’s enemies efficiently. And she probably would have wanted the destruction of Doma as well.

Just not its destruction no matter what the cost. She may still be a decent person. And that’s a huge difference. Maybe all the difference.

-Cyan freaks out once again when he learns that Terra was an imperial soldier as well, but his outrage is interrupted by the Empire commencing its attack.

---

Desert

-A squad of soldiers marches, led by Kefka. Where’s Leo?

-Kefka wants to kill any civilians who get in the way. The soldiers object, but Kefka’s their commander for the moment.

Kefka’s philosophy.

-Leo would be appalled.

---

Narshe

-Team power-walk!

-Edgar has two suggestions for Celes. First, he warns Celes to not think Locke fell for her. Celes’s reply?

Celes cares zero for your bullshit.

Edgar’s reply? “Well, there goes my second suggestion.” Of course. Just minutes before combat, of course you’d hit on Celes. Because Edgar.

-Celes and Terra get to talk. Celes says she was raised to be a Magitek Knight, artificially infused with magic. So that’s a no go on the “secret sisters” route, which I’m more than fine with. Terra wants to know if it’s possible for Celes to love other people.

Celes must be thinking “wtf is with all these people and romance,” and feels insulted by this question hot on the heels of Edgar. We know though that this was about Terra rather than Celes. Poor Terra.

-Celes and Cyan. Cyan says he doesn’t trust Celes, but Celes responds that the proof will be in combat.

--- 

Narshe Cliffs

-I’m now Terra.

-I can talk to party members standing in a line and switch with them, but not sure what I’m supposed to do.

-Banon asks if I’m ready. NO. WTF IS GOING ON.

-Oh. I can upgrade equipment and adjust relics, and heal up as well. That’s what this prep period is for. Let’s go.

-Mog pops up: “Protect the esper from Kefka.” Three different parties. So this is like a more advanced version of the “Moogles Defend Terra” set-up from earlier.

Party 1: Sabin, Celes
Party 2: Edgar, Terra
Party 3: Locke, Gau, Cyan

-Kefka and his armies enter at the other end of the rocky maze. He barks out that horrifying laugh.

-Gau’s “Guard Leader” (wind slash rage) and Sabin’s “Rising Phoenix” blitz obliterate everything. Terra and Edgar are my weakest party, but still not bad.

-Great music! This is like a combat-version of Terra’s theme.

-I defeat all the troops, and near the end, a “Hell’s Rider” guards Kefka. Looks like a mini-boss, but defeated pretty easily with a couple of combat rounds.

-Something tells me Kefka won’t be a push-over the way he was in the Imperial Camp. My strongest party is with Gau, Locke, and Cyan, but I really want to see Celes kick his ass. So I’ll engage with Celes and Sabin.

-*deep breath* Here we go.

-Boss music. He also has a combat sprite now apart from his overworld one.

-Meteor Strike doesn’t work.

-He uses Thunder, as well as Poison and Confuse. I guess he really is a mage. Natural like Terra, or built like Celes?

-Because he’s a mage, Celes’ Runic dominates the fight while Sabin’s Raging Fist does heavy damage.

-Kefka flees. Victory!

---

Next time: Aftermath of the battle.

FFVI – Part 19: Ride the Tide (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: Restocking in Mobliz, before we insert ourselves in the middle of the wounded solder’s personal life. We head south to the Mountain Cave, get Gau’s “shiny” (a diving helmet), and ride the ocean current to Nikeah. We sniff around a bit, then sail to South Figaro and then onto Narshe.

FFVI – Part 18: Rage (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: I dive into Gau’s “Rage” system, trying to build up a pool of abilities from the many monsters of the Veldt. Long post despite no story development, as I try to make a glossary of the different monster abilities I now have access to, lest I be overwhelmed.

FFVI – Part 17: Cyan, Gau and Mr. Thou (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: We head east to Mobliz across the Veldt. Gau bugs us for food on the way, but it’s only after stocking up on Dried Meat in Mobliz that can feed him. He then eats, joins us, and pisses off Sabin as much as humanly possible. It’s glorious.

FFVI – Part 16: Charlie the Choo Choo (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: We push forward on the train. More ghosts, plus a strange swordsman named Siegfried. At the front, we face the Phantom Train, win, and get off at the next stop. Cyan’s family boards. Urgh. Then some cliff-diving.

FFVI – Part 15: Ghost Pals (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: Sabin, Shadow, and Cyan move west from the camp. Shadow leaves shortly after because he’s a jerkface. We enter the Phantom Forest, and shortly afterwards to a literal ghost train. We make spoooooky friends, and fight spoooooky enemies.

FFVI – Part 14: Screaming in Unison (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: Kefka takes over in Leo’s absence, escapes from Sabin and Shadow, and proceeds to commit mass murder against Doma. Cyan survives, and joins our team. They leave the camp.

FFVI – Part 13: Poor Devils Like Us (Sabin’s scenario)

Summary: Sabin washes up and joins Shadow. They head towards Doma, and slow down at the imperial camp. The Empire attacks Doma, but Cyan emerges and stops the assault. We see the despised Kefka compared with the awesome General Leo.

New Year's Eve

 The joys of a natural new year.

FFVI – Part 12: Visiting Moogles (Terra’s scenario)

Summary: Shorter scenario this time. Terra, Edgar, and Banon ride the raipds, head to Narshe, and zip through the mines to slip past the guards. We then meet up with the old man who helped Terra earlier, Arvis, and plot how to reach the esper. End of scenario.

FFVI – Part 11: Celestial Sword (Locke’s scenario)

Summary: Celes and Locke take to the secret-laden tunnels from the rich man’s house, and escape South Figaro. We head west to the South Figaro Cave, and Celes’s “Runic” ability shines against the Tunnel Armor boss. End of scenario.

---

Rich Man’s House, South Figaro

-Aw. Celes thinks of herself now as a traitor for speaking up. Sounds more like a whistleblower.

-She seems surprised that Locke, a Returner, will take her. But she can’t walk well (it’s not really explained why; I guess just as a general consequence of being chained up). Perhaps more importantly, a part of her is reluctant to escape because she wants to keep her pride. I already like her for this.

-Ooh. Guard has a clock key. GRABBY!

-My choices with the guard: “(Take it.)” or (Stealing is wrong.)” I think I know which Locke would pick.

-After I swipe it, the guard wakes briefly, but immediately falls back asleep to a dream about soup. Yeah.

-Celes’s job is “Rune Knight.” Awesome.

-WAIT WHAT. She has MAGIC? Not just magitek through a suit, but actual magic? How? Is this some “Terra’s sister” story thread, like Faris and Lenna in FFV?

-We wind the old clock and open a secret passage. This must be the one leading out of town.

-This tunnel is much longer than what came before it, with random enemy encounters – guards and their puppies. Metric ton of secret areas down here that I’m finding.

-One of the things I learned from watching my older brother play FFII (SNES) was the value of exploring, of clicking all the barrels and pots, testing all the walls for secret passages. Paying off in spades here.

-Got a “Ribbon,” but can’t see how to wear it.

-Just noticed that Locke’s job is an “Adventurer.” I thought it used to be “Treasure Hunter,” but could be wrong.

-The enemies hit really hard down here. I try a strategy that seems to help. It’s two-fold. First: leave a dog for last. They tend to run. Second: time my attacks so I don’t leave a single commander alive for any significant period of time. They use “Desperate Strike” when alone, a hard-hitting double attack.

-Found an “Earring” for Celes to boost her magic. I hope this boosts white as well as black magic.

-Celes learned “Imp.” Is that like “Mini” from past FFs?

-Found a Great Sword. HUGE upgrade for Celes.

-The Gauntlet seems kind of useless. It doesn’t seem to boost Celes’s damage, so I opt for sword and board.

-Explored here thoroughly, but still can’t seem to reach a last staircase in the southeast no matter how many walls I push at. Dag nab it.

-Near the exit.

CELES: Why are you helping me?
LOCKE: You remind me of someone.

Really, dude? That’s why? Not because you overheard that she demonstrated how awesome she was by taking massive risk to life and position by speaking out against Kefka’s plan to poison a kingdom?

Maybe I’m not being fair. Like, maybe the person she reminds Locke of had these qualities too, but I have to imagine that even if his girlfriend/wife/mother (again, my money’s on girlfriend) didn’t exists, he’d still have helped Celes.

-We leave town.

---

Overworld

-Nothing special in Duncan’s House to the north, but we nap here anyway.

-Not sure where to go. I think we’re probably supposed to go to Narshe, so I go west.

---

South Figaro Cave

-Monsters here are tougher now.

-We keep hearing a *whoosh* sound. Near the exit, Celes even commens on it. What is it? Flood waves?

-Earthquake?

CELES: “Something’s coming through the wall.”

-Boss time! “Tunnel Armor.” Cool design.

-Celes says it casts badass magic, but she can Runic it away. Hey, I remember reading that from the tutorial! I remembered a thing!

-CELES IS SUCH A BOSS. When she casts Runic, she holds her sword up to the sky and soaks up any magic damage the boss throws until the next turn, converting it into either health or mana (can’t remember which, but probably mana).

For the honor of Grayskull!

-Victory. We leave. End of scenario.

---

Next time: Terra, Edgar, and Banon’s scenario.

FFVI – Part 10: Master of Disguise (Locke’s scenario)

Summary: Locke’s escape from Imperial-controlled South Figaro. He moves past the soldiers by disguising himself as a merchant and a cadet, infiltrating the headquarters of the town. We meet Celes.

FFVI – Part 9: Seafood Soup

Summary: A trip down the Lethe River. Some twists and turns. Then ULTROS (nee Orthros)!! Witty banter, massive damage, and horrifyingly NC-17 tentacle imagery. We sort of win, but Sabin jumps into the river to punch Ultros because reasons. Then a choice.

FFVI – Part 8: Team Free Will

Summary: Our team heads up north to the Returners’ Hideout. We meet Banon. Terra makes a choice. The Empire takes South Figaro and moves on the Hideout, so our scrappy band of rebels splits up.

FFVI – Part 7: Vargas and I

Summary: We climb Mt. Kolts. Near the top we meet both Vargas (and his bear minions??) and Sabin. Vargas beats us, then Sabin beats Vargas and joins us on our continued path.

FFVI – Part 6: If I Were a Rich Man

Summary: We continue to explore the ginormous and treasure-laden town of South Figaro. Cider angers me. Relics, gil, potions, secret passages, and a semi-shady rich man. We then head up to Duncan’s cabin and east to Mt. Kolts.

Nerd Fitness Academy - Daily Log, 11/2/14

"So this is what you meant when you said that you were spent.
And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit
Right to the top."
                                                 -"It's Time," Imagine Dragons

--

Progressed on every single one of my quests.  Tired.  

 I don't need every day to be like this, but it really charges me up for the coming week.  It gives a spot of hope that maybe in time I actually can get where I want to go.

FFVI – Part 5: Sink Her

Summary: Kefka sets Figaro on fire, but our trio escapes and the castle submerges. We head to South Figaro, on the way to Returners HQ. We meet Shadow.

Blizzard - Weeks 5/6: The Noble Garrosh

A bit of Hearthstone and Diablo III, but mostly WoW this week through the wonderful Stonetalon questline.

Nerd Fitness Academy - Daily Log, 11/1/14

Did my monthly weigh-in today: 261.0 lb.  Despite a pretty awful and mindless last couple of weeks, dropped three pounds this month.

Onward to November!

FFVI – Part 4: Sand in My Shoes

Summary: Terra wanders the castle. Kefka visits Figaro. He gets sand on his shoes. (Trust me, that part is worthy of being in the summary.)  He wants Terra, and Edgar cagily says no.